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The Ultimate Shopper’s Guide, Part 5: Bedding

by Flexo on August 18, 2006

in Consumer, Shopping

Cotton SheetI’ve never received any instruction about how to purchase bed sheets. When I realized I had to buy my own, I went to the store and found the cheapest set I could find. This was probably sufficient.

My girlfriend in college got me used to the feel of jersey cotton. That’s not cotton farmed in New Jersey, but fabric that feels like a very soft tee-shirt. This is still my favorite linen for the bedroom, and it’s not very expensive.

Money Magazine in its Ultimate Shopper’s Guide says to ignore thread count. Also, what retailers call Egyptian cotton is no more special than American cotton. The special Egyptian cotton is known as extra-long stape (ELS).

Look for single-ply sheets made of 100% pima cotton (ELS cotton from around the world) or supima cotton (ELS cotton grown in the U.S.). For extra softness, opt for 100% cotton sateen, such as what’s found in Sears’ Everyday Luxe collection, which costs around $100 for a queen set.

Money’s final tip: There’s no need to buy anything beyond a 300 thread count.

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About the Author

Flexo, the owner and creator of Consumerism Commentary, has been blogging and writing for the internet since 1995 and has been building online communities since 1991. Find out more about him and follow him on Twitter.

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  • matt
    When I got married my wife and I were given a set of nice sheets- I think 300 count or so. It's true that thread count is not an asbolute indicator of quality, but 300+ Egyptian cotton is all I allow my butt to touch now. I used to not care at all, but now I notice immediately when sleeping on low quality sheets.

    I would recommend investing in nice sheets, as they will hold their quality for a very long time. (We also purchased some high thread count cheaper sheets, and they pilled after about 6 motnhs.)
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